


Preparations

by haldoor



Series: Overthinking [24]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Romance, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-26
Updated: 2012-06-26
Packaged: 2017-11-08 14:30:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/444198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haldoor/pseuds/haldoor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Warnings/Spoilers:</b> None for the show<br/><b>Disclaimer:</b> As I keep saying,  I have no ownership rights and I make no money!<br/><b>Beta:</b> Once again it's under 2.5K so I'm going with what I have, although my darlink slash twin helped me with some Americanisms, which was invaluable! *smooches*<br/><b>Summary:</b> Danny has a few things to do before the luau gets underway.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	Preparations

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kaige68](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaige68/gifts).



> This is the 24th and penultimate chapter of the **Overthinking** series. It takes place a couple of weeks after the last one. [](http://kaige68.livejournal.com/profile)[**kaige68**](http://kaige68.livejournal.com/), more *kisses* for you!
> 
> Sorry it's been a few days since the last chapter; life's been busy! I hope to have the last chapter done and dusted by the end of the week.

Danny barely wakes up when Steve disentangles himself from Danny's arms and slips out of bed to take his early morning swim. Danny's used to this by now, so he doesn't try to hold Steve back. He just lets him go; he'll be back once he's showered.

When Danny wakes up next, Steve is spooning himself into Danny's back and kissing his neck. That's enough to make Danny hard inside his shorts, but he remembers they have Grace this weekend and she's an early riser, so he takes a breath and pulls Steve's arms in closer, muttering 'Grace' to remind Steve.

It's clear he's ready for more too, despite the sweats he has on, but he sighs back, "I know, babe." There's another warm kiss and he murmurs, "Go back to sleep; it's still early."

The third time, Danny has no hope of remaining asleep. Grace is bouncing on the bed gleefully and telling them loudly, "Wake up, Danno, Uncle Steve! Today is luau day!"

Steve's still attached to Danny's back, and despite Grace's insistent bouncing, he doesn't pull away. Danny tilts his head to look over his shoulder at Steve, and Steve blinks sleepily at him and offers him a kiss before they slowly move apart.

It's amazing how far Steve has come since they got together, and Danny's proud of how relaxed he is around Grace these days. After the dinner scene with Rachel, Steve was inclined not to show what was between them if Grace was staying, but since Danny moved in and his wonderful daughter was clever enough to tell Steve she liked seeing them hug and kiss, he's been incredible; so much more open and relaxed - even when he and Danny are alone together.

Grace is still bouncing energetically. "Monkey, if you don't quit that bouncing, you won't be getting pancakes for breakfast any time soon."

"Awww, Danno!" Grace pouts, but she stops the bouncing.

Steve slides out of bed, quirking a smile at her as he pulls on a t-shirt. "C'mon Gracie, let's leave Grumpy here to make like Happy while we go get the pancakes started."

"Yay!" Grace exclaims, bouncing off the bed and out the door.

Steve comes back to the bed to offer Danny a kiss before he turns to follow her.

"It's indecent how easily you wake up," Danny growls at him as he leaves.

Steve turns back to grin widely. "It could have been a lot more indecent. Maybe tomorrow morning?" He waggles his eyebrows suggestively and disappears out the door.

Danny throws a pillow across the room after him but there's no anger in it. He huffs to himself and stretches before getting up slowly and shuffling into the bathroom.

~//~

It's mid-morning and Steve's gone to collect Mary from the airport. Grace wanted to go too and there wasn't any reason to deny her that, so Danny let her. He'll have plenty more time with her this afternoon through to tomorrow before she has to be back at Rachel's, and Danny's got plenty to do while they're out.

The phone rings and he hesitates a moment before answering it; it still feels a little odd to be answering Steve's phone. It's Danny's mother calling from New Jersey, and his heart starts hammering before he's said more than hello. He knows it's well past time he told his parents about him and Steve, but he hasn't managed it yet. They know he's moved and that he has a roommate, but he couldn't make himself tell them how much more Steve is when he gave them that news.

They talk about the usual things for a while: his father's health, Grace's school, his aunt's new man, other assorted family things, and then Ma starts asking about where he's living now.

"So, Danny, tell me, who cooks at this new place? You eating properly? You had better be feeding Grace well."

"Ma, we're eating fine; don't worry. Steve is a health-fanatic and a good cook too; you'd be amazed."

"Hmm," she tuts, "So he cooks all the time? What is he, your wife?"

Danny wraps the phone cord around his hand and breathes through the fear. "Not exactly, but Ma…"

"Danny?" Her tone is gently questioning, like she's expecting something off the beaten track here.

"Ma… Steve… he's…" He breathes deeply again and surprisingly, she doesn't put anything into the space he's left. "Steve and I are partners." There's still silence at the other end of the line and Danny can hear his heart thudding. He knows she's understood perfectly."Ma? Are you going to say anything?"

"This is the same Steve you work with?" she asks, her voice sounding just a little wobbly.

"That's right, Ma. He's… well, we kinda… I didn't even…" Only his mother makes him as incoherent as Steve usually is on these topics.

"You love him?" she asks, softly.

"I do, Ma, I do."

"Gracie likes him too?"

"She adores him."

"And he's good with her?"

"Yeah, he adores her right back."

"Does he… he love you too, Danny?"

"Yeah, Ma, he does. He's amazing."

He can hear her swallow. "Then you better bring him here to meet me and your father sometime soon. Can't judge if he's the right man for you without meeting him."

Danny blinks in surprise and he can hear his father saying something in the background.

"Ma? You really… it's okay? I mean, you're not going to give me some kind of lecture?"

She huffs down the phone, and then her voice is muffled as she obviously says something to his father. Danny frowns, biting his lip, and then she's back. "No, no lectures; not just now. Just… be careful, Danny, that's all. Pop says if this guy is a cop too, you better be prepared for hard times."

"Pop's okay with it?" Danny's eyebrows go high. He had expected his father to be less tolerant, somehow. He was always going on about how men shouldn't be sissies when Danny was younger, and he'd always assumed that included homosexuals as well as cry-babies.

"Your father is a very open-minded man, Daniel. You shouldn't always assume the worst. How long have you and Steve been together?"

Danny is still amazed, but he doesn't comment. He'll find out what his father really thinks soon enough, he imagines. "Actually, it's our two month anniversary today. We're having a luau – a kind of Hawaiian barbecue – to celebrate tonight. Most of our friends are coming over."

"That's good," Ma says, but he can tell by her tone she's a little worried he's moved in so soon. "Have a nice time. Is Gracie there?"

"Thanks, Ma." He doesn't say anything about the time-frame since she hasn't; he doesn't doubt she'll be pushing for more info in the weeks to come, and until she meets Steve for herself she'll be wondering. "Yes, she's here, but she went to the airport with Steve. His sister is flying in for a visit. Otherwise, I'd put her on to talk to you."

"That's okay, Danny. Maybe you can call us next time; let us know when you and Steve and Grace will be coming to visit."

He huffs a laugh; that's practically an order for him to buy the tickets now and call her back tomorrow with details. "Yes, Ma. As soon as we can arrange some down-time from work and Grace is on vacation from school – which would be in a couple of months – we'll come, I promise."

"Good. Now, go get ready for your party. I love you and Gracie, and Pop sends his love too." There's a pause and then she adds, "And we both send it to Steve as well. He's got to be pretty special if he can put up with you."

He knows the last is a tease and he grins widely, utterly astounded at their easy acceptance. "I love you, Ma, and Pop too. And Ma…?"

"Yes, Danny?"

"Thank you."

Ma doesn't say anything for a moment, but he can almost see her sad smile. He hopes she'll continue to be as supportive over this, though he's pretty sure she'll be thinking about things that might never happen now; like more grandchildren.

"Give Gracie a cuddle for me, Danny. Bye now."

"Bye, Ma." He hears the click of her disconnecting, and bites his lip, holding the receiver and looking at it before he finally hangs up.

~//~

Danny arrives back from the store with the supplies Steve left him a list to shop for while he and Grace were out. Steve's whipping up something in the kitchen, and Danny puts the shopping bags down on the table and approaches him. Steve grins over his shoulder at Danny, then goes back to whatever it is he's beating to death.

"Where's Grace?" Danny asks, peering around Steve and smiling at what looks like some kind of cake mixture. He reaches to dip a finger in the batter, but Steve's too fast; he slaps Danny's hand away and turns, holding the bowl protectively to his chest.

"No tasting until it's cooked," Steve says. "She's upstairs with Mary, showing her the new décor. Mary's cool with the twin beds, by the way. Told you she would be."

"Seriously? You're not going to let me taste it? What if I don't like it?"

Steve just looks at him, his expression very clearly saying 'are you kidding me?'

"That's one less problem with sleeping arrangements, then." Danny nods, giving up on the taste test. Steve has yet to cook anything Danny hasn't been willing to eat – as long as there's no pineapple involved.

Twin beds for Grace's room were Steve's suggestion, but Danny had been sceptical; unsure Mary would want to share her old childhood space with someone so young, even if only for a night. Grace loved the idea though, and had pointed out how much easier it would be if she ever wanted a friend to sleep over, so Danny had agreed, even though Steve hadn't thought it necessary to discuss it with Mary. It seemed he knew her well enough, going by today's result.

"So… what flavor is it?" Danny asks, still looking around Steve's body as he turns back to the counter and starts to pour the mixture into a baking pan he's prepared as well as any professional baker.

"Wait and see," Steve tells him, deftly scraping the last of the batter into the pan and then opening the oven to slide the cake inside.

Danny loves watching him work in the kitchen; it's a treat he didn't realize he was in for before moving in. He had no idea Steve was such an expert at not just meals but baking too, even though he's normally so health-conscious such delights don't happen often.

"Okay, fine," Danny says, moving back to the groceries. "You decorating it too?" He pops a cherry tomato into his mouth and gestures at the rest of the food. "You want this stuff put away or should I be cutting something up for you?" he asks around the sweet mouthful.

Steve quirks one side of his mouth as he runs water into the sink and starts washing the utensils he's already used. "Why don't you see if Grace and Mary will help with the outdoor decorations? I'll take care of this."

Danny raises his eyebrows questioningly, but he's used to Steve's kitchen efficiency by now and knows he'll probably just get in the way. It's only as he's halfway up the stairs that he realizes how _efficiently_ Steve avoided the question of his cake decorating skills. Danny smiles to himself, looking forward to finding out; he suspects that he'll find them as interesting as almost everything else about Steve.

~//~

Danny's holding up a brightly colored lei and frowning, but Grace and Mary are both smiling enthusiastically. It's close to time for the guests to start arriving and they're just setting out some last minute things.

"Are you sure about these?" he asks, looking at the assorted pile of colors on the sideboard near the front door.

"You can't have a luau without leis!" Mary and Grace say in unison, and Danny swears Steve joins in from the kitchen – where he's still concocting secret recipes that Danny's not allowed to know about – halfway through that sentence.

"I bow to your superior knowledge," Danny says with a grin, placing the lei he's holding on top of the pile and literally bowing to the two of them.

"Danno…" Grace says, tilting her eyebrow worryingly.

"Yes, Monkey?" Danny tilts his head questioningly.

"You do have a Hawaiian shirt, don't you?"

Danny frowns; he hasn't thought of that. Steve appears in the doorway behind the girls and waggles his eyebrows at Danny. "You're going to love me," he tells Danny.

"I already do," Danny replies without thinking, and then blushes when Mary gives him a knowing smile. "Okay, so what's going to make me love you _more_?"

"Kamekona's t-shirts," Steve announces, bounding up the stairs.

"Kamekona gave you t-shirts?" Grace asks, "Shave-ice ones?"

Danny huffs a laugh, shaking his head. He's not sure what's more embarrassing; wearing some loud Hawaiian shirt, or the pink t-shirts emblazoned with _Partners in Crime_ on the front and their names on the back. He'd shoved his in a drawer somewhere and promptly forgotten it, but clearly Steve knows exactly where to find it.

Mary laughs as Steve comes back downstairs, his shirt already half over his now-naked chest, and he grins goofily at her as he stands in front of them, pulling it the rest of the way down, then tosses Danny's to him. "Put it on, partner. You can't get away with not wearing it; you'll hurt Kamekona's feelings."

"Come on, Danno!" Grace wheedles, giving him the puppy-dog eyes.

Mary's circling Steve, and stops when she sees his name on the back. "These are so cool! Look, Gracie – it has 'Steve' written on the back!"

Danny's pulled off the shirt he's wearing and is struggling into his own t-shirt as Steve turns to show Grace the wording. "Does yours say 'Danno'?" Grace asks, running around Danny so she can see. "Oh, it says 'Danny'," she says, sounding slightly disappointed.

Steve smiles reassuringly, crouching down to her level as he speaks. "Everyone's going to see these and they all know him as Danny. Danno is _your_ special name for him. If the t-shirt said that, other people might think they can use it too."

Grace grins; she likes that. "Yeah. But it's not just _my_ special name, Uncle Steve; you're allowed to use it too."

Danny can see how her words have affected Steve – the fact that he's already been using the nick-name since they met is irrelevant – he's overcome with emotion now that Grace has put the icing on the cake of confirmation that he's as much Danny's family as she is.

"Thank you, Gracie," Steve whispers, and pulls her near, closing his eyes tightly.

~//~


End file.
